NILGIRIS (MOUNTAINS)

The 'Nilgiri' (Tamil : நீலகிரி or literally: 'Blue Mountains'), often referred to as the 'Nilgiri Hills', are a range of mountains in the westernmost part of Tamil Nadu at the junction of Karnataka and Kerala in Southern India. They are part of the larger Western Ghats mountain chain making up the western edge of the Deccan Plateau. The hills are separated from the Karnataka plateau to the north by the Noyar River and from the Anaimalai Hills and Palni Hills to the south by the Palghat Gap. The Nilgiris District of Tamil Nadu lies within these mountains. Its latitudinal and longitudinal dimensions are 130 Km (Latitude : 10.38 to 11.49 N) by 185 Km (Longitude : 76.0 E to 77.15 E). The high quality Nilgiri tea is cultivated, packaged and sold in this area.^[1]
The Western Ghats, Nilgiri Sub-Cluster (6,000⁺ km²), including all of Mukurthi National Park in the south-eastern corner of the Nilgiris, is under consideration by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee for selection as a World Heritage Site.UNESCO, World Heritage sites, Tentative lists, Western Ghats (sub cluster nomination), retrieved 4/20/2007 World Heritage sites, Nilgiri Sub-Cluster
The Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, which includes the Nilgiri Hills, is part of the UNESCO World Network of Biosphere Reserves.

Contents

Peaks in the Nilgiris

Nilgiris Peaks in Mukurthi National Park

Flora

Trekking

Notes

Reference

Peaks in the Nilgiris

'Doddabetta Peak', 4 km east south east from Udhagamandalam,, with a height of is the highest point in the Nilgiris and the southern extent of the range. . 'Hecuba' (height: ), 'Kattadadu' (height: ) and
'Kulkudi' (height: ) are closely linked peaks in the west of Doddabetta range and nearby Udhagamandalam.
'Snowdon' (height: () is the northern extent of the range. 'Club Hill' (height: ) and 'Elk Hill' (height: ) are significant elevations in this range. Snowdon, Club Hill and Elk Hill along with Doddabetta, form the impressive Udhagamandalam Valley.
'Devashola' (height: ), notable for its Blue gum trees, is in the south of Doddabetta range. 'Kulakombai' (height 1707 M.) is east of the Devashola. The Bhavani Valley and the Lambton's peak range of Coimbatore district stretch from here.
'Hullikal Durg' (height: ), in the Kannada language, Hulikal Durg means ''Tiger Rock Fort''. The Sanskrit name of his place is ''Bakasura Parvata''. It is 3 km. south east of Coonoor. Tropical Pine forest flourishes at the base of this hill, while the valleys support green foliage.
'Coonoor Betta' () is also called Teneriffe. It is on the northern side of the gorge, accommodating the Nilgiri Mountain Railway to Coonoor.
'Rallia Hill' (height: ) is in the midst of a reserved forest and almost equidistant from Udhagamandalam and Kotagiri.
'Dimhatti Hill' (height: ) is above the Gajalahatti pass, which provided a short cut from Mysore to the caranatic plains and was of much strategic importance in the eighteenth century. This peak, dedicated to the Deity Rangaswamy is considered holy by the people of the surrounding villages.

Nilgiris Peaks in Mukurthi National Park

On the Nilgiri Plateau, the Kundah range of the Nilgiri hills is a ridge on the south-western side of Mukurthi National Park bordering Kerala. With elevations greater than the general level of the plateau, the range possesses some peaks close to the height of Doddabetta.
'Avalanche hill' of this range has twin-peaks of the 'Kudikkadu' (height: ) and the 'Kolaribetta' (height: ). 'Derbetta' (or Bear Hill) (height: ) and 'Kolibetta' (height: ), south of the Ouchterlony valley, are a continuation of the Kundah range.
'Pichalbetta' (height: ), 'Nilgiri Peak' (height: ) and 'Mukurthi Peak' (height: 2554 M.) are the important heights of this area. These 3 hills of the Wynaad District are generally low in relation to other heights of the district; but are distinguished in relation to the generally uniform level of this area. The highest peak in this part of the district, is the 'Maruppanmudi hill' (height: ) , 10 km. northwest of Gudalur.
Other heights deserving notice are: 'Needle Rock', 'Hadiabetta Hill' (height: ), 'Glulur hill' (height: ). 'Chinna Doddabetta' (height: ) is about five km. south of Udhagamandalam.
'Konabetta': (height: ) is about 5 km, north-northeast of Udhagamandalam. This is also called Sigur Peak. 'Koodal Betta' (height: ) means ''Echoing rock''. It is about 13 km north-east of Udhagamandalam. 'Kundah Betta' (height: ) is About 10 km south-southwest of Udhagamandalam. 'Kundah Mugi' (height: ) is about 11 km east of Udhagamandalam,
'Dolphin's Nose' is a promonotory over the Kotagiri valley about 6 km. east-northeast of Coonoor. The place provides an excellant view of the Catherine falls and a vast expanse of verdant plains. 'Ibex Hill' is about 17 km., west-southwest of Udhagamandalam. It is a straight cliff in the proximity of Sigur Pass.
'Muttunadu Betta' (height: ) is about 5 Km, north northwest of Udhagamandalam. 'Tamrabetta' (Coppery Hill) (height: ) is about 8 km. south east of Udhagamandalam. 'Vellangiri' (Silvery Hill) (height: ) is 16 km west-northwest of Udhagamandalam.
^[2]

Flora

Over 2700 species of flowering plants, 160 species of fern and fern allies, countless types of flowerless plants, mosses, fungi, algae, land lichens are found in the sholas of the Nilgiris. No other Hill station has so many exotic species.^[3]
Much of the Nilgiris natural Montane grasslands and shrublands interspersed with sholas has been much disturbed or destroyed by extensive tea plantations, easy motor vehicle access and ^[4] extensive commercial planting and harvesting of non-native eucalyptus and wattle plantations (''Acacia dealbata'', ''Acacia mearnsii'' and cattle grazing. In addition there is one large, and several smaller hydro-electric impoundments in the area.^[5]
Threatened plants of the Nilgiris include: ''Miliusa nilagirica'' (Vulnerable), ''Ceropegia decaisneana'' Rare, ''Ceropegia pusilla'' (Rare), ''Senecio kundaicus'' (Endangered), ''Youngia nilgiriensis'' (Endangered), ''Impatiens neo-barnesii'' (Endangered), ''Impatiens nilagirica'' Endangered, ''Euonymus angulatus'' (Endangered), ''Euonymus serratifolius'' (Endangered), ''Commelina wightii'' (Vulnerable), ''Ceropegia decaisneana'' (Rare), ''Ceropegia pusilla'' (Rare) and many more. ^[6]

Trekking

The best way to enjoy the beauty of the Nilgiris is to trek its slopes. Some of the trekking routes are:

★ Ooty, Parson's Valley, Porthimund, Nilgiri Wildlife and Environment Association hut (NWLEA), Mukurthi Peak, Mukurthi Dam, Ooty.

★ Ooty, Upper Bhavani, Emerald, Avalanche via Kolaribetta, Ooty. (Accommodation at Upper Bhavani Forest guest house)

★ Ooty, Western Catchment 2, via T.R. Bazaar, Nilgiri Peak, Mukurti Peak, Sispara Pass via Western Catchment-2 and 1, Bangitappal, Ooty.

★ Ooty, Ebbanad, Segur, Anaikatti, Sirur, Theppakadu, Ooty.

★ Ooty, Pykara, Glenmorgan, Singara (Hydro PowerStation), Mudumalai, Solur Village, Ooty.

★ Coonoor, Lamb's Rock, Lady Canning's Seat, Dolphin's Nose, Law's Falls, Droog Fort, Coonoor.
The best trekking seasons are April-June and September-December.^[7] Application for trekking permits should be made in advance with the Wildlife Warden, Mahalingam buildings, Coonoor Road, Udhagamandalam – 643 001 ; Phone: 0423- 2444098^[8]

Notes

1. Nilgiri Tea,Majumdat Tea Co., retrieved 9/2/2007Facts
2. District Administration, Nilgiris (8/20/2007) National Informatics Centre, Nilgiris, retrieved 8/31/2007 Hills and Peaks
3. The District Collector, Collector's Office, Udhagamandalam, The Nilgiris District, Tamil Nadu, ''General Information'', retrieved 9/2/2007RARE TREES FRUITS FLOWERS & ANIMALS
4. Davidar, ERC, Distribution and Status of the Nilgiri Tahr Bombay Natural History Society 75(3): 815-844
5. Rice, C G Dr (1984) US Fish and Wildlife Service, Washington, USA, "''The behaviour and ecology of Nilgiri Tahr''", Tahr Foundation, retrieved 4/17/2007"''The behaviour and ecology of Nilgiri Tahr''"
6. Nayar & Sastry (1987-88) Red Data Book, Plants of India ()Threatened Plants of Tamil Nadu
7. Venugopal Dharmalingam (7/8/2002) The Hindu, retrieved 8/25/2007''Stairway to heaven, up the blue mountain''
8. K. Kalyanasundaram (2005) "''Wildlife sanctuaries of Tamilnadu - Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary - National Park''", Tamil Electronic Library, retrieved 4/4/2007''Wildlife sanctuaries of Tamilnadu

Reference

The District Collector, Collector's Office, Udhagamandalam, The Nilgiris District, Tamil Nadu, retrieved 9/2/2007Welcome to Queen of Hills - The Nilgiris